Locomotive booster system



Aug. v5

1,503,475 F. J. CARTY LOCOMOTIVE BOOSTER SYSTEM Filed June 6. 1923 1 2 Shuts-S at 1 Aug. 5. 1924. 1,503,475

F. J. CART! LOCOMQTIVE soos'rsn SYSTEM Filed June 6. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I fi 3/ A mm.

IlIIIII/l L Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

r 'n'rincis I. can'ri or' soxs ay', rA-ssrenc sems; nstance rn-iinxmn narr- WAY sUPPL-TY COMPANY, a. CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

LOCOMOTIVE no'os'rnn .sYsrEivr.

Application filed June 6,

To all whoknritwid? cancer 11."... I Be it known that 11,-:FRANCIS J- Carry, a citizen of the United States, residing at RoXbury. in the countyof Suffolk and State locomotiye or the tender and isadaptedto -be connected with an axle thereof. The booster engine is adapted to be used to supplement the' power of the main locomotive cylinders whereby to provide, additional tractiye effort at criticaltimes as, foriin: stance, onheavy grades or starting-under heavy load. Norma lly the, booster engine is arranged to befinoperative; and is brought into use: only as operating conditions require additional tractiYe e'fiort. Under usual con-v diticns of service the booster engine is used buta relativelysmall part of the running time QI". thelocomotive. Under winter conditions when the booster engineis called intoiplay, the engine and the, steam supply pipe connected therewith may becold or practically at the temperature of the atmosphere, by reason of a previous extended period-of nonus e. W'hen steam is turned into the coldtengineand supply pipe, the steam may condense and the steam pressure may drop to such an extent as to interfere with theproper operation'of the engine Furthermore,trouble is or maybe experienced because of thefi'eezing of thehcon-c clensate, which act-may consequently render the booster engine inoperative. 1

A booster engine to be of maximum service should be in immediate operative condition, even though the length of timebetween successive operations is or may be relatively great. i p I An object ofthis lnvention 1s to prov de means to maintain heated the booster engine and thesteam supply pipe extended thereto."

at all times "while the locomotive is on. the

' 'road whereby to avoid the above enumerated troubles. V l V.

In carrying put this obj ect of the invention, I mayprovide means to pass, steam continually throughflthe supply pipe and the booster engine cylinders whereby to keep them Warm and the steam for heating may 1923. Serial No. 643,668.

exhaust into the atmosphere through the cylinder .cocks of the booster engine which cocks are adapted to, be opened when the booster en'gine isnot in actual operation. The supply of steam is adapted to be sufficientto keepall parts warm and in condition for immediateoperation and yet is not adaptedto besulficientto build up such a 'pressurewithin the booster engine cylinders as to cause the engine to rotate.

It is highly desirable to have the heating steam pass through thebooster. engine at-all. times; while the locomotive is in readiness tor ope'ration, and to havethe heating steam shut offiwhen the locomotive is in the ens ne house. i y is separate contlOLvalve for theheating steam is not desirable tfor one reason be cause it requires especial attention of the engineer who may neglect to open the valve or ,to close it and therebycause waste of stea nandfthe possibility-of injury tomechanics who; may be, called upon. to. inspect or'adjust thebooster engine. .Consequently. a inrther object of this inventionlis to pro,- vide meansto insure a flow of heating steam through the booster, engine and its steam supp-1y pipe automatically when the booster engine is ,in readiness for service. which heating steam is arran ed to, be automatically turned off when the booster engine is rendered inoperative by the closing of the hand actuated booster steam suppl'y valve. Y A further object is: generally to improve theconstructionand operation of locomotive booster engines.

Figilis aschematlc representation ofa Fig. 2' is a sectional view through the throttlevalve casing ofthe booster engine arrangedin accordance with this invention.

Fig; is an. end view of the steam outlet end of-the booster throttle valve casingand illustrating more particularly the by-pass I heatingiplug;

i Fighytais a partial sectional detail of-the, preliminary booster throttle valve modified in accordancewith my invention. 1'

- A boosterenginem may be supplied with high pressure steam from the locomotive steamdomelll or other suitable source of high pressure steam through the steam ice llO

supply pipe 12 and control valves disposed in the valve casing 13, which valves are interposed between the steam pipe 12 and the steam dome 11. The control valves may comprise the hand actuated control valve 14.- and the pneumatically operated main throttle valve 15, which latter valve is placed between the booster engine cylinders and the hand-actuated control valve 141. Said throttle valve 15 may be actuated by the pneumatic piston 16, which is arranged to be moved downward, when supplied with air under suitable pressure, and thereby raise the throttle valve 15 and admit steam to the booster engine cylinders. When the booster engine is brought into operation, it is adapted first to be operated idly at a slow speed in order to permit certain gears not shown to be brought in mesh whereby to connect the crank shaft of the engine with the locomotive or tender axle A and for this purpose a small amount of steam suilicient to cause the slow rotation of the engine is first admitted to the engine cylinders. hen the driving connection between the axle and crank shaft is completed the full supply of steam is adapted to be admitted to the engine by the main throttle valve 15. The initial small supply of steam to the engine is or may be controlled by a preliminary throttle valve 17 which is arranged to take steam ahead of the main throttle valve 15, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 2. Said preliminary throttle valve is or may be operated pneumatically in a well understood manner. The cylinders of the booster engine are or may be provided with cylinder cocks 20 which are adapted to be maintained open while the booster engine is not in operation whereby to drain the cylinders of condensed stem. The cylinder cocks are adapted to be closed, however, when the booster engine is operating with its gears fully in mesh with the locomotive axle gear. The cylinder cocks may be of any suitable or desirable nature and are or may be governed by the pneumatic piston 21, Fig. 1, which piston is or may be arranged to be moved under pneumatic pressure in one direction to close the cylinder cocks and, when the pressure is relieved, a spring 22 or other suitable means may return said piston to its initial position and cause the cylinder cocks to reopen. The operation of the booster engine is or may be controlled from the engine cab. A pneumatic control valve 26 may be associated with the reversing lever 25 and so arranged that when said lever is in the forward end of its quadrant a pivoted bar 27 is actuated to open said valve 26.

Said valve bar 27 may be controlled by a booster latch 25 ,whieh latch is or may be carried by and pivoted to the reverse lever 25 in such a manner that, when in engagement with said bar, to hold the valve open, thelatch will be held in upright position by the bar, but, when the reverse lever, is moved back sufliciently on its quadrant, the latch will pass from under said bar and cause the valve 26 to close. The particular operation of the latch is of no particular importance so far as this invention is con cerned and so is not described in greater detail. 7

hen said valve 26 is opened air under suitable pressure is caused to flow from a supply pipe 28 through said valve 26 and into a pipe 29. Said pipe 29 may have one branch 80 which extends to the preliminary throttle valve 17, and another branch 31 which extends to the operating cylinder 16 for the main steam throttle valve 15. A third branch 31 may extend from said pipe 29 to a timing chamber 82 and thence to the piston 21 which controls the cylinder cocks 20.

On locomotive boosters now in use there are other control devices which are not herein shown.

The operation of the system as thus described is such that when the pneumatic control valve 26 is opened by the engine man moving the booster latch 2 5 under and thereby raising the valve bar 27, the preliminary steam throttle valve is caused to open, thereby to turn steam into the engine cylinders and cause the booster rotate slowly. The main throttle valve 15 is then opened by its control cylinder 16 and the engine operates under full power and after a short period of time governed by the timing chamber 32, the cylinder cocks 20 are closed.

As previously stated, the booster engine may remain inoperative for relatively long periods of time and thereby become cold so that when steam is turned into the cylinders it condenses, thereby resulting in a reduction in steam temperature and pressure, which reduces the effectiveness of the booster engine. The steam supply pipe 12 is usually relatively long and it also may become cold during the period that the booster engine is inoperative and also condense steam; and the condensate may collect in the engine cylinders and freeze and thereby render the cylinder cocks and engine inoperative.

In accordance with this invention, I provide means to maintain the supply pipe 12 and the engine cylinders heated and in condition for immediate service and said means is also so arranged that automatically it must be operative when the booster engineis in readiness for operation. In carrying out this invention, I provide a by-pass around the throttle valve of the booster engine and between the booster engine and the hand operated control valve 14 whereby there is a engine to I 1,5osa7a supply of steam available for'heating whenever said control valve 14is open and the heating steam is cut off automatically and without any especial thought or attention from the engineer when said control valve 14 or its equivalent is closed by hand. Preferably I provide the by-pass around the mainthrottle valve 15and-for this purpose,

' the partition wall 40 in the valve casing l3 may be formed with a screw-threaded aper ture therein and a plug l' may be screwthreadedreinovably in said aperture. Said plug maybe formed or provided with an orifice 42 therein throughwhich steam may pass intothe supply pipe 12" and thenceto engine cylinders continually forso long as the hand operated valve 14 is maintained openand while the main and preliminary throttlevalves are closed. Said orifice is adapted to be of a size suflicient to'a'dmit the passage of a suitable amount of steam for heating purposes but-preferably sufliciently small to restrict the supply of steam below thatat which the engine will-be caused to? rotate, The heating steam is adapted to pass eventually to the atmosphere through the normally open cylinder cock s 20 Pref erably saidplug' 41 is inserted invthe aperture in the partitionwall 40 through the steam' outlet end of the valve casing and said plug may beaccessible through theout let xpassage'by .the removal of the pipe flange Mort-he engine supplypipe 12 whereby to permit interchange of plugs to' vary the amount of heating steam or to permit a solid plug to be inserted in said partition wallduring the summer months'or when heating steam is not desired.

Said plug may be otherwise arranged in said valve casing to carry out the invention but, preferably the arrangement is such "that the heating plug is accessible'byf the removal of some convenient part ofthe casing.

While I prefer the above described ar rangement' of means to by-pass the main throttle valve yet other means maybe pro vided. For instance, a by-pass plug 41 corresponding to said plug41 maybe inserted in the partition wall itOtjroffthe preliminary throttle-valve 17 andfunctiona's above de-- scribed.

Under some circumstances, the preliminary and main throttle valve and hand-operated control valve may be installed in a manner different from that shown andthe by-pass maybe arranged to bypass steam for heating immediately around the preliminary throttle valve in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4:, for instance, and. from some other steam source than that illustrated.

For some purposes, the steam for heating may be bypassed around both the preliminary and main throttle valves of the booster engine. The steam for heating may be veither saturated or superheated but, when p the installation permits, I prefer to bypass superheatedsteam about the main and pre limiiiary booster throttle valves as super heated steam reduces the quantity of steam required for heating purposes and improves the performance of the booster engine.

of means continually operative when sup pliedw'ith -s'team to admit heating steam to said engine, and a hand-operated valve'arrangedto control simultaneously the supply of steamto said continually-operative means and" to said throttlevalve. V

3; The combination with a locomotive boosteuengin'e and a throttle valve therefor, of means to admit heating steam to said engine continuously while supplied with steam, and means simultaneously to control the supply of ste'a-m toithe aforesaid means and to said throttle valve.

all

4:.- In 'a locomotiveibooster' system, com pr sing. a. booster eng1ne ,.a hand-operated control valve, and air-engine throt'tle valve disposed'between the engine and said control valve, of means under control of said hand-operatedcontrol valve to admit heating steam tothe engine continually while supplied with steam and independently of said throttle valve. y

5; In a locomotive booster system, comprising a booster engine, a hand -operated controlvalve, and an engine throttle valve disposed between the engine and said control I valve,of means to by-p ass said throttle valve and admit steam continually Qto theboosteu engine while said control valve is open and under steam pressure. v i W Y 6. A: locomotive booster system comprising abooster engine and'steam control mech 5 anism comprising a valve casing incommu'nlcation wlthsaid booster englne, said casing hav ng a hand-operated control valve adapted normally to be'open,'and a throttle valve disposed in said casing between said hand-operated valve and said booster engine,'and means to by-pass said throttle valve and admit a small amount of steam continually to said booster engine, said bypass means arranged for control by said hand-operated valve.

Alocomotive booster system comprising a booster engine and steamcontrol mechanism comprising a valve casing in communication with said booster engine, said casing having a hand-operated control valve adapted normally to be open, and a throttle valve disposed in said casing between said hand-operated valve and said booster engine, said casing having a partition Wall provided with a valve opening therethrough controlled by said throttle valve, and a second and continually open smaller aperture forming a bypass about said throttle valve, the flow of steam through which smaller aperture is arranged to be controlled by said.

hand-operated throttle valve.

8. A locomotive booster system comprising a booster engine, a valve casing having a steam outlet opening in communication With said booster engine, a hand-operated 111 received in said a erture in a osition.

to be accessible through said steam outlet opening.

9. A valve casing having steam inlet and outlet openings, a hand-operated valve disposed adjacent the steam inlet opening, a partition Wall disposed adjacentsa'td-steam outletopening, said partition Wall having a valve opening therethrough arranged. for communication With said steam outlet opening, a pneumatically-operated throttle valve governing said valve opening, said partition Wall also having a screw-threaded aperture therethrough, and a screw-threaded plug received removably in said aperture and ac cessible through said steam outlet opening, said plug having an aperture therethrough arranged to by-pass said throttle valve and pass steam continually therethrough under control of said hand-operated valve.

10. A locomotive booster system comprising a booster engine, a valve casing having a steam outlet opening in communication with said booster engine, and a steam inlet opening, a hand-operated control valve in said casing adjacent the steam inlet opening, a partition wall in said casing between said steam outlet opening and hand-operated control valve, said partition Wall having a valve opening therethrough, a throttle valve controlling said valve opening, said partition Wall having an aperture therethrough, a plug having a passage therethrough received removably in said aperture, and a removable member secured to said valve casing over said plug adapted to be removed to permit access to said plug.

11. A locomotive having a valve Which is arranged tobe opened to place the locomotive in condition for operation, and closed to put the locomotive out of operation, a booster engine, a throttle valve therefor, and means under control of said first valve to supply heating steam continuously to the booster engine independently of said throttle valve, While said first valve is open and under steam pressure.

12. A locomotive booster system comprising a booster engine,,a source of steam, a steam supply pipe connecting said engine With said source of steam, preliminary and main steam throttle valves controlling the supply of steam to said steam supply pipe, means including a hand-operated valve controlling the supply of steam to said preliminary and main throttle valves, and means under the control of said controlling means arranged to admit steam into said steam supply pipe and booster engine continuously for so long as steam is suppliedto said preliminary and main throttle valves.

13. A booster system for a locomotive including a booster engine, a main throttle valve therefor, a preliminary throttle valve therefor, and means to maintain said booster engine in heated condition when said engine is idle, comprisin means to bypass steam about both throttle valves and conduct the bypassed steam through said booster engine in quantities sulficient to maintain the booster engine heated but insufiicient to cause the booster engine to operate, and means to control simultaneously both the supply of heating steam and the supply of steam to said throttle valves.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANCIS J. CARTY. 

